Early on: Wonder Tales of the World. It was my dad's when he was young. Between us we almost wore it out. I was just reading one of them to Rog the other night. As it has meaningful stories specific to America, Arabia, Bulgaria, Japan, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, England, Korea, Norway, Scotland, New Zealand, Serbia, Persia, and Wales, I believe it had a great deal of influence on my love for diversity and tolerance, as well as seeing the lessons in life's experiences.

Of course, with my dad around, Kipling esp. the Jungle Books. I just knew we could talk to the animals and Kipling proved it!:-)

Also, White Witch by Elizabeth Goudge; The Afternoon Women (this was later, after I'd been married and had my son); Dracula; ghost stories of M.R. James; The Folk Tales book from the early Childcraft Books (anyone read "The Fox and his travels?") each one of these tales taught something, mostly about patience and perseverance, as well as kindness, honesty, etc.; the poems of Service, Badger Clark, and Riley.

Everything Spaw said about To Kill A Mockingbird. The Yearling also had a profound effect on me.

Do you just want early years, Peter...or later on, too?:-)